Following a sneak peak at PacPrint, Roland DG has formally released the new DIMENSE DA-640, a wide-format dimensional surface printer that delivers high-quality 3D embossed printing up to 2mm in height, in a compact, easy-to-use system. Accommodating a wide choice of media, the DA-640 is being heralded as the future of creative, artistic wall décor production.
Digital concrete is one of a myriad of applications the Dimense DA-640 is capable of printing
Ryugo Nimura, President of Roland DG’s Global Sales and Marketing Division, says: “There has been a growing demand for bespoke experiences and for pursuing their own style, in commercial and hospitality environments, residential spaces,
Ryugo Nimura, President of Roland DG’s Global Sales and Marketing Division entertainment, and retail design: the desire to stand out.”
“The new DIMENSE DA-640 opens the door to on-demand printing of unique, dimensional surface designs, making it an excellent choice for print service providers, architects and designers alike.”
Thanks to advances in UV, Resin/Latex and eco-solvent inks, there has been a steady, but significant, expansion in what is achievable with interior decoration. Attractive, unique designs are much more affordable, customisable and easy to produce than ever.
Dimense technology essentially pairs high-quality colour and visuals with three-dimensional embossing effects, delivering both texture and depth to a wallpaper, interior graphics and many other applications and providing a highly tactile finish.
Dimense printing technology controls where on the design the embossing takes place. It uses a special transparent structural ink printed alongside standard CMYK inks that act as a barrier to prevent the expansion of a foamable layer in designated areas. This allows designers to create intricate embossed patterns that complement or contrast with the printed image, thereby proliferating creative possibilities.
The specialist Dimense media consists of two layers: a non-woven back layer and a patented PVC-free phthalate-free Ecodeco top layer. Depending on the temperature this top layer is exposed to in the printer, it foams and expands by between 1-1.5mm. The hotter the temperature, the more the foam expands. Varying the temperature results in peaks and troughs in the print…embossing. The transparent structural ink is applied to areas of the media where the design requires it to stay flat, allowing for the manipulation of the structure and facilitating control over the thickness of the media.
Bringing all this together, the DA-640 can produce full-colour dimensional prints from a one-off to large volumes, increasing the possibilities for on-demand production of textured interior surfaces, which have previously relied on ready-made artwork with more uniform designs.
Nimura adds: “The DA-640 and Dimense solution makes it possible to add texture and value to a wide range of applications like we have never seen before, resulting in new opportunities for businesses to create, grow and profit.”
Dimense media is available in a wide range, including matte, suede, silver, gold, pearl, and even chameleon. Its media has high scratch resistance and is suitable for commercial wallpaper applications, tension fabric and roll-up banners for indoor signs and displays.
Each media type uses a PVC-free and plasticisers-free base for the Ecodeco traditional hot-embossed wallpaper production, making it eco-friendly, odour and migration-free and free from leeching, making \the system and process a very environmentally friendly solution. The CMYK inks are water-based resin too, and the structural ink is butylene glycol-free, so conforms to various safety standards, including AgBB, A+, UL, and GREENGUARD Gold “Unrestricted” wall coverings.
The new Roland DG Connect Designer Dimense Module, makes it easy for users to create everything from simple designs to embossing layers. Plus the system has a visualiser for previewing the output effects before printing. VersaWorks 7 RIP software is also included, which is compatible with Windows and macOS. This software allows for easy management of detailed print settings and the production of high-quality output.
The Dimense DA-640 is suitable for a wide range of applications, from wallpaper to artistic prints, banners and signage to packaging, book covers to POP displays, even for digital concrete to accentuate e.g. construction company branding on walls, floors, tiles, etc.
DG Dimense, a Roland DG Group Company
